Delhi: Jama Masjid

Jama Masjid is the Great Mosque of Old Delhi and the largest in India. It was built by Shah Jehan in 1644 and took 14 years to complete.

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Monday: November 8, 2004
India really is a place. Today I went first to the President's house and the houses of parliament and the ministry of defense. They had the grandeur of government buildings anywhere with wide avenues and monuments lined up and the like. The buildings, though designed by a British architect were clearly influenced by their surroundings. They had elements that placed them clearly in India... like the Elephants atop the gates. Evidently behind the president's house there are over 400 acres of land where hundreds of species of plants and birds live. I can vouch that in addition to the usual pigeons, I saw falcons and green parrots.

From there we drove down Raj Path to India Gate, an arch which honors the 85K+ men who died in defense of the "empire" during WWI. While walking around a young girl was walking backwards and periodically doing back bend walkovers ... for money I imagine. Of course my trusty guide shooed her
away. I feel bad that she was shooed.. but I guess that is my guide's job.

Journal Continued:
We then went through some intense traffic towards Old Delhi. I won't go into the details of the history that I was reported, mainly because I can't remember it all. Essentially there are many separate cities in Delhi as the city was conquered and reconquered and each time the capital was rebuilt in different locations in very different styles. Though they generally used the same materials. Red sandstone, white marble, black
marble... etc.

Journal Continued:
My guide then took me to Jama Masjid, the largest mosque in India. It was built by Shah Jehan in the mid 1600s. It is still a working mosque and now that it is the month of ramadan, the place was sprinkled with people studying the Koran and praying and just resting on the cool marble floors of the building.

Journal Continued:
I took some pictures of a very sweet girl and filmed a woman praying at a shrine. I like my camera because the way that the glass tilts, you can't always tell that I am filming.

Journal Continued:
Next stop was the memorial for Ghandi. I have to say, it wasn't what I expected. Still, it is probably more than he would have wanted for himself. It was a simple black marble slat that had the bright orange marigolds arranged on top. There, a young girl asked me if she could pose with me for a picture. This was the first time, but not the last. Several times today I was asked if I would pose with families in their pictures. I am in nearly six different pictures with people I don't know at all. I didn't realize that I was such a sight.

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Journal Continued:
On the way back from the temple I saw elephants transporting loads of sugarcane on their backs. I guess even if you are told, you still aren't prepared to see a group of elephants strolling along the highway with sugarcane. The same goes for cows and bulls that walk blithely along with cars honking and whizzing along beside them. I can't imagine what on earth is going on in their minds, but they don't seem disturbed at all.